Jacare Souza undergoes surgery for pectoral injury sustained during UFC on FOX 24 loss

After suffering an injury during his knockout loss to Robert Whittaker earlier this month at UFC on FOX 24, Jacare Souza underwent surgery this week to repair a ruptured pectoral, per a report by MMA Fighting.

The surgery, which was administered by Dr. Rickson Moraes at the Vitoria hospital in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, took approximately two-and-a-half hours. The Brazilian’s medical team will provide UFC with a timetable for his return after he starts physical therapy.

“Alongside with Dr. Rickson, I decided to undergo surgery to heal this injury once and for all,” said Souza in a post-surgery statement. “I'm feeling relieved. I’m already recovering well, and I’ll move one step at a time towards my comeback to training and to the Octagon. I’ll be back soon, stronger and even hungrier to fight., hungrier to win."

Souza, 37, was on the short list of readily available middleweight title contenders before losing to Whittaker. It was Souza’s first knockout defeat since Gegard Mousasi landed an upkick from hell back in 2008. Once Souza regains full health, he should get right back into the thick of the top 10.